OC ReMix Design Revision Notes & Feedback

I recently implemented a design overhaul intended to streamline the site's navigation and reduce redundant/duplicated links. This is something I've been working a LOT on over the last year and which required a lot of effort, nevertheless design seems to be a subject everyone is convinced of their own expertise on, and many are adverse to change of ANY kind, so we always expect a certain amount of kickback.

There will no doubt be some questions and hopefully some (as constructive as possible, please!) suggestions, but let me address some likely issues AND provide some (hopefully helpful) notes:

• Firstly, this is a purely cosmetic overhaul and is *not* the project we've been working on for the last several years. In fact, no new features or content have been added, it's purely visual.
  
• At the moment, only 50 of the site mascots have been converted. I'm now doing alpha-transparent PNGs, which means that plenty of folks will probably rip them off and use them elsewhere, but hey, who cares. Credit for the oft-tedious Photoshop masking involved would be nice...
  
• Yes, the sidebar is gone. Depending on the effects on advertising revenue and the features introduced in vBulletin 4 some time in 2010, I can't promise that some form of sidebar won't be reintroduced on the forums, or elsewhere, but for now the mega-dropdowns are serving our navigation needs nicely.
  
• The alpha navigation is gone as well, though individual alpha pages still work. As the database has grown, it just seems like this feature has made less and less sense. Why browse 5 pages of mixes or scan 90 games beginning with "S" when you can simply search? We'll monitor site analytics to see how this removal affects traffic; I've already seen a couple people complain so it *might* be something we reinstate, but only if we feel we HAVE to.
  
• While it's been worked on and refined significantly up to this point, we're still making some tweaks. In some sense, every web design is a work-in-progress, and based on feedback and our own experience using the site there will likely be changes.
  

That's it. Please let us know what you think. Actually, one LAST thing... everyone has kneejerk reactions when a site they visit frequently changes. We've seen it so many times, and it even caused the Great Sidebar Ban Hammer Massacre of 2006... so please, try using the site for a couple hours, preferably a day or two, before providing too much feedback. Seriously, it's the type of thing where something that doesn't make sense the first 20 seconds you're using it becomes convenient & natural after only a few minutes, in some instances.

I give it three thumbs up

Sexy, but my earlier comment about the highlighting rows still applies. I really like how thread titles look within the thread...

also this might have been from an old update, but it's really nice to see the return of the title screen thumbnails

Just know that there are people (ME) that don't have a preference. I'll take any design so long as it works.

/feedback

The darker main colors are nice. Especially when you can compare it to the unmodified toons in the corner - the colors "pop" out at you better. The sidebar being gone dosen't bother me at all - in fact, I like having more horizontal space devoted to... everything else.

The mega drop-downs sometimes get hidden behind the site logo (especially if you're in a smaller resolution) but to be honest, if you aren't running at at least 1280x1024 these days, you may need to think of upgrading your monitor. **Edit: seems like this is only for the old avatars. the converted ones don't have this issue - when they're all converted, this will be a non-issue**

Will leave more later. Initial reaction: I like it.

/end feedback

I say meh. Aesthetically I'm not impressed (and I know you're working on this but the characters that haven't been changed yet really bug). I personally like the sidebar, but I think it's okay without it. It just doesn't "wow" me I guess is what I'm trying to say.

I haven't yet adjusted, but I'm not too concerned about that. I'm sure that I will soon enough. One thing that does concern me, though, is that the mega-dropdowns are still blocking the other dropdown links in IE8. So, when I hover above "Forums", the dropdown blocks "Forums", "Games", "Music", and "People". I think this might have been mentioned before, but I don't remember if a solution was ever devised or a solution had been deemed unnecessary or ruled out. Thoughts?

(and I know you're working on this but the characters that haven't been changed yet really bug)

clear your cache

where the hell is the sidebar! That sidebar was the only thing this site had going for it and now it's gone! That's it, I'm leaving and starting my own video game music remix website.

(also, I like the redesign so far)

Does this mean the people that were originally opposed to the sidebar will be unbanned?

I honestly thought half of the page wasn't loading for me. The banner area looks incomplete.

But I'm a believer in keeping things simple, so I don't mind streamlining things at all.

oshi

I like it! Never was a fan of the sidebar anyways. The more subdued color scheme brings out the colours in the mascots and other graphical content more.

One thing though, the log in for the forums is appearing behind the main menu... here's a screenshot http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/6307/forumlogin.jpg

Haven't been here in a couple weeks. The redisign was a big surprise to me, but I really like the streamline feel. I notice one error with the characters on the top right corner showing a gray background, but that might be because I'm viewing the site at work and it's filter is weird where it breaks image. But I'll have to check the site when I get home.

All in all awesome look DJP.

I like the new, thinner skin, altho the contrast between them is a little on the strong side.

Also, teh sidebar is teh missing! What happen? Somebody set up us teh drama?

I suggest a thin, discrete icon-based sidebar or something as a later addition, one that scrolls down with the page (if done smoothly and is tab-clickable). No need then to page-up or scrollwheel-up or something just to get to the nav.

Half of these issue posts, just clear your cache. Mascots should be fine, menus should be fine. ABG's issue is happening though, so that text may need to take up more than 1 line or be moved entirely.

Already suggested to Dave, but for posterity's sake:

* Home / Interviews / Links / Shirts / Torrents should turn orange when hovered over

* Add "Contact Us" and or "Donate" to that row

* Headband of the headphones logo lightened to not blend with the background

* Donate/Shirts/Store/aStore ("Support" section) in "About" mega-dropdown, either above or below "OverClocked ReMix" section

* Alex Brandon pic in People dropdown

* Darker (not dark, just darker)/Off-white color for forum/writeup background. Similar to the grey used for the list pages, maybe lighter

Looks good!

Looks terrible at my resolution (1920x1200) on a 24" monitor. The dark grey background is right in the middle of a good contrast (or lack of.) Something that's closer to the light grey at the bottom would work a bit better near the top. The logo in particular is hard to see against the dark grey. Forums are ok because the page is almost full even at this resolution.

And yes, I know you wanted us to use the site for a couple days but my opinions here are not going to change; I'm not going to be able to see the logo any better tomorrow or a week from now, and I've always hated empty space on the sides of webpages.

I thought something looked a bit odd.

Even more so considering my browser had loaded half of the new theme and half of the old one. Huzzah for cached sites...

Looks terrible at my resolution (1920x1200) on a 24" monitor. The dark grey background is right in the middle of a good contrast (or lack of.) Something that's closer to the light grey at the bottom would work a bit better near the top. The logo in particular is hard to see against the dark grey. Forums are ok because the page is almost full even at this resolution.

And yes, I know you wanted us to use the site for a couple days but my opinions here are not going to change; I'm not going to be able to see the logo any better tomorrow or a week from now, and I've always hated empty space on the sides of webpages.

Upload an actual screenshot. I wanna see.

I'm experiencing AGB's issue as well. and I cleared my cache and still having the same issue. I'll try and post a pic of it but I might not be able to becase, as I said before, I'm at work and our network does this to other sites as well.

EDIT: just as I thought I can't upload it to my Photobucket account, won't allow the upload. Sorry Larry.

there's always http://www.imageshack.us/

there's always http://www.imageshack.us/

I'm pretty sure my network blocks all uploads and downloads. I can try Imageshack or even tinypic but I'd still have to wait till I get home because I don't have a work email (yet) to set up a new account.

Half of these issue posts, just clear your cache. Mascots should be fine, menus should be fine.

I cleared my cache twice and, while the menus do appear correctly on the front page, they are still displaying how I described earlier in the forums for IE 8.

Yeah I brought that one up a while ago: http://ocremix.org/forums/showpost.php?p=560625&postcount=748

Staff probably all uses Firefox so it wasn't a huge priority at the time

I'm sure the design is good and people will enjoy and such, but can we have the option of going back to vb's default template?